New Study: Dieting More than Exercise Is Key to Weight Loss + 10 Dieting Baby Steps

Does sweating it out in the gym seem like such a chore? A ground-breaking study from Loyola Unviersity Health System suggests that exercise isn't the primary factor for weight loss, MSNBC reports. Using data on women in Nigeria and Chicago as basis for comparison, they found out that the slimmer Nigerian women did not exert more physical activity than their counterparts in Chicago. The key to a slimmer figure, it seems, is proper diet. The researchers found out that the Nigerian diet is high in fiber and carbohydrates, while the Chicago diet is high in fat and processed foods.

What does this mean for you? It means that it’s time to let go of those dieting excuses and hop on the healthy eating train, pronto, if you want to lose that post-summer weight.

Of course, that doesn't eliminate the many benefits of exercise, so don't cancel that gym membership just yet. Even if exercise isn’t necessarily the biggest factor for slimming down, it’s good for your health, and it does help tone your body. Also, it seems that this particular study needs to be backed up by more research, although a similar study was done in 2007. To get the whole scoop about this new study, check out the full article on MSNBC.MSN.com.

But exercise or not, weight loss doesn't need to be a drag. Let FN help you get out of that rut with ten tips for doable dieting in the slide show below.

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